


forever the name on my lips

by eddiesdiaz



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Christopher Diaz Has Two Dads, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Oblivious Evan "Buck" Buckley, Soft Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-08-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25959298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eddiesdiaz/pseuds/eddiesdiaz
Summary: Eddie doesn’t do it particularly often, but it’s a nice tool to have under his belt when he needs it. It’s the most effective way he’s found to ground Buck when he’s freaking out, to get him out of his own head. And it’s simple for Eddie, too, because it’s not as intimidating as big, dramatic conversations about emotions and feelings that he always screws up because he can’t find the words. It’s easy, natural, and it works.For my love, who asked me for Buck getting flustered whenever Eddie calls him "Evan."
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 32
Kudos: 715





	forever the name on my lips

**Author's Note:**

  * For [florenceandthemachine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/florenceandthemachine/gifts).



> Read on [Tumblr](https://eddiesdiaz.tumblr.com/post/621121455954051072)

The first time he does it is an accident.

They just got back from a call where Buck had pulled another reckless move that nearly got him killed, and Eddie is yelling at him, because he’s tired of standing by and watching Buck have absolutely no regard for himself time and time again.

Buck’s yelling right back, with his usual argument —the _I was just doing my job, Eddie,_ and _I had it under control, Eddie,_ and _I would rather it be me every time because the rest of you have people waiting for you at home, Eddie._ He’s heard it a hundred times before, and it makes him want to pull his hair out.

“You have so many people counting on you, Buck,” he says with a long sigh, because he’s also given this little speech a hundred times before; clearly it’s never worked. “You have the team, and Maddie, and seriously, do you have any idea how lost Chris and I would be without you?”

That last part strays from the script a little. Usually Chris is his own entity and Eddie lumps himself with the rest of the team, because he’s a coward and terrified of revealing too much. If Buck notices the subtle difference, though, he doesn’t mention it. His expression actually gets more sad and wistful, if anything, which is the opposite of the desired effect. Just another example on a long list of times Eddie’s words have failed him when he needs them most.

“It’s not the same, though, Eds,” Buck says, quiet and resigned.

“It _is_ , Evan. God, you’re so fucking stubborn.”

Eddie’s muttering angrily to himself under his breath when he realizes Buck has gone silent. He looks up and meets his eyes, and all his own words die in his throat, too. Because not only does Buck flush bright red (which is something Eddie will definitely need to investigate further later), but he also softens instantly. It’s like a switch flips and all the tension drains out of his body and leaves him calm and at ease.

Everything else Eddie tells him are also things he’s said before — that he and Buck and Chris are family, that he’s always welcome in the Diaz house, that they need him to stay safe because neither of them can handle losing someone else, _especially_ not Buck — but for the first time, Buck actually listens and lets it sink in. For the first time, Eddie can see that he _believes_ it.

If he pulls Buck in a little closer than usual when he hugs him, nuzzling his neck and earning a happy sigh in return…well, no one needs to know about it but them.

After that, Eddie still doesn’t do it particularly often, but it’s a nice tool to have under his belt when he needs it. It’s the most effective way he’s found to ground Buck when he’s freaking out, to get him out of his own head. And it’s simple for Eddie, too, because it’s not as intimidating as big, dramatic conversations about emotions and feelings that he always screws up because he can’t find the words. It’s easy, natural, and it works.

When they get back to the station after a particularly hard call, and Buck’s sitting right next to him but not actually _present_ , Eddie knows it’s because he’s replaying the whole thing on a loop in his head and trying to figure out what he could have done differently.

So he rests a gentle hand on Buck’s knee and says “Hey, Evan, you with me?” and Buck immediately blinks back to reality with an affirmative hum and that same adorable goddamned blush.

When they’re in Eddie’s kitchen and Carla’s phone lights up with an incoming call from Abby, the easy smile falls off Buck’s face, clearly thrown. Eddie is furious, because she threw Buck away without so much as a text, but she still makes it a point to stay in touch with Carla, what the _fuck_?

He swallows his anger, though, because it’s not his place. Instead, he says “Get over here and help me with dinner, Evan, you know I’ll burn the house down if I do it myself,” and breathes a sigh of relief when Buck chuckles and does as requested.

When Buck calls him in the middle of the night after waking up from a nightmare about the tsunami, he’s panting and gasping for air and Eddie can feel his heart crack in two.

“Eddie, I’m — are you — is Christopher —”

Eddie shushes him softly, just like he does with Chris when he wakes up from the same nightmares screaming Buck’s name.

“It’s okay, Evan. Chris is fine. He’s sleeping, I can hear him snoring. He’s safe, okay?”

He hears Buck take a long, shaky breath, before saying “Okay. You’re sure?”

“I’m sure. Why don’t you come over and see for yourself?” Eddie offers, because he of all people understands there’s a big difference between being told that someone’s okay and actually seeing it with your own eyes.

“I don’t wanna bug you guys, it’s late,” Buck says, sounding small and fragile, and Eddie hates it.

“You never bug us, Buck,” he answers, because above all else he needs Buck to know that. “I’ll wait up, okay? Chris will be excited to see you in the morning. He’ll probably beg you to make him breakfast, because the kid’s a saint but even he can only take so much of my Pop Tarts.”

That gets a laugh out of Buck, and Eddie swears it’s his favorite sound in the entire world.

“Well, I gotta make sure my Diaz boys don’t starve,” Buck teases, half-hearted but genuine all the same.

When Buck gets there, Eddie takes him by the hand and leads him into his room. He’s already moved Christopher from his own bed to Eddie’s to give them more space, and as soon as Buck sees him, he lets out a broken sob and looks to Eddie like he’s asking for permission.

Eddie nods and squeezes his hand in encouragement, and then Buck is in his bed, curling around Chris and holding him close. Eddie watches fondly for a few moments as Buck kisses the top of Chris’ head, silent tears falling into his hair, before he climbs into bed on Christopher’s other side.

He tries to keep himself in check and not get too close, but somehow his hand finds its way into Buck’s hair. He runs his fingers through it gently in a way he hopes is soothing, smiling when Buck leans into the touch.

“We’ve got you,” Eddie murmurs, and they fall asleep like that, together in Eddie’s bed, with Christopher sandwiched between them.

In the morning, Buck makes them pancakes and they drop Chris off at school together, and Eddie’s heart aches with how much he wants this forever.

Most of the time, Eddie only plays the Evan card to help Buck. He really does. Every once in a while, though, he’ll admit he has ulterior motives; namely the satisfaction of seeing Buck flustered and knowing he’s the one that did it. Because as infuriatingly endearing as Buck’s reaction to it is when it’s just the two of them, it’s even more so with other people around.

Buck shows up at the station one morning with two cups of coffee, holding one out to Eddie as he passes by on his way to the locker room. Eddie smiles gratefully at him, letting their fingers brush as he takes it from him, and says “Thanks, Evan,” in front of the whole team. Buck blushes and then promptly walks right into a wall, distracted by smiling back at Eddie almost shyly.

One time they’re on his couch watching a movie and Eddie’s exhausted after a long shift (mostly because it was Buck’s day off, and working with anyone else by his side just isn’t the same, isn’t as easy). He’s not asleep yet, but he’s pretty damn close. He can hear Buck whispering to Chris about pranking Eddie while he’s asleep, though, so he cracks an eye open and says “Don’t you dare, Evan” in warning. Buck all but jumps out of his skin in surprise and spills his soda all over himself, prompting a round of giggles from Chris.

It even happens on the job once, which Eddie’s not proud of. They just saved a beautiful girl, and now she’s shamelessly flirting with Buck. Eddie has no right to be pissed about it, he _knows_ that, but his ridiculous raging jealousy overtakes his rational side. Before he realizes what he’s doing, he’s marching right up to them and saying “Come on, Evan, time to go,” curling a hand around Buck’s arm. Buck ducks his head, cheeks burning red and a grin plastered to his face. He waves politely to the girl before following Eddie without hesitation.

The point is, his calling Buck “Evan” typically falls into one of two categories: to comfort Buck, or to indulge himself.

The time that everything finally falls into place, though, it’s a little bit of both.

It had been a slow day at work, so Bobby let them go early, and they decided to bring lunch to Chris at school to surprise him.

“We’re here to see Christopher Diaz. I’m Eddie, and this is Evan,” he says to the front office clerk when she asks. He glances over at Buck out of the corner of his eye to admire the now-familiar blush he can’t get enough of.

When he finally manages to pull his gaze away, the woman’s handing each of them a name tag to wear. The one she made for Buck says Evan Diaz, and Eddie’s mouth goes dry. He’s always been possessive, and seeing everything he wants right there in writing satisfies him down to his core. God, he _wants_.

Buck must mistake his silence for something else, though, because as soon as they’re out of earshot of the office staff, he’s apologizing profusely.

“I’m really sorry, Eddie, I didn’t mean to overstep. I should have corrected her. I just didn’t want to make it weird, but now it’s weird anyway. I swear, though, I know that we’re not — that _I’m_ not…” Buck rambles, trailing off nervously.

Eddie knows that this is the moment. He’s absolutely terrified, but he needs Buck to know, once and for all, exactly how serious he is when he says Buck’s family. It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t feel the same way; Buck just deserves to hear, for once in his life, that he’s enough. That he’s _loved._

“I’m not mad. The opposite, actually,” he starts, stepping closer and cupping Buck’s face with one hand. “And you _are_ , Evan. You’ve been a Diaz since the day I met you.”

Eddie strokes Buck’s cheek gently with his thumb, gathers up every ounce of courage he has, and slides his hand to the back of Buck’s neck so he can pull him in for a kiss.

He keeps it soft and chaste, because they’re in an elementary school hallway, after all, but it settles something deep inside of him. It feels easy and comfortable, like they’ve been doing it forever. Buck’s grin is blinding, and it doesn’t fade even as he leans in for another kiss, smiling against Eddie’s lips.

“What about Chris?” he asks quietly. Eddie’s heart melts into a puddle, because of course Buck’s first concern is Chris. Eddie never realized it was physically possible to be this in love with someone.

“He knows how I feel about you, Buck. We’ve talked about it,” Eddie tells him.

“You have? And he’s okay with it?” Buck asks. He still looks skeptical, like this is all too good to be true, and Eddie can definitely relate to the feeling.

“He’s more than okay with it. He asked if it meant you were moving in and he’d get to live with his best friend.”

Buck’s expression turns overwhelmingly soft and fond at that. “God, I love him so much,” he says, a little choked up. “And you.”

“And we love you,” Eddie echoes easily, smiling so hard it hurts. “Come on, let’s go find our kid.”

He walks hand in hand with Buck into the cafeteria. When Christopher spots them from across the room, he lets out an excited cry of “Dad! Bucky!” and Buck takes off running, wrapping Chris up in a big hug as soon as he gets to him.

Eddie takes his time following, watching the two of them together and feeling so incredibly lucky and thankful for his beautiful family.

Buck gets his revenge for all the Evans the first time they’re in bed together. He’s kissing his way down Eddie’s neck hungrily when he calls him “Edmundo,” murmured slow and filthy into his ear, and Eddie turns to putty underneath him.

**Author's Note:**

> Please feel free to [send me prompts](https://eddiesdiaz.tumblr.com/ask)!


End file.
